Synopsis:

The seventh gripping installment in Matthew Hall’s twice CWA Gold Dagger-nominated series – soon to be a CBC Television Original Drama, Coroner, starring Serinda Swan, Roger Cross, and Ehren Kassam.

The day they’ve all been waiting for is at hand. The last British combat soldiers in the Helmand province of Afghanistan are counting the minutes until their departure home to Highcliffe: a small town in the south of England. For their families, it spells the end of an agonizing six month wait.

But in the final hours, disaster strikes. Nineteen-year-old Private Pete ‘Skippy’ Lyons is taken hostage in the night and the patrol sent out to locate him is ambushed. One killed, two injured. And one still missing in action.

Their loved ones are left desperate for answers the Army is reluctant to provide. How was Private Lyons abducted from a heavily fortified command post? And why are officers trying to disguise what happened during the mission to save him?

Their only hope lies with Coroner Jenny Cooper, who must take on the full might of the military to stop the truth being buried along with the boy soldiers. But in a town filled with secrets and rumours, it’s not only the Army that has something to hide.

Review:

Compulsive, astute, and timely!

In this latest novel in the Coroner Jenny Cooper series, A Life to Kill, Hall immerses us in a complicated, emotional case involving a missing Private, a dead soldier, two critically injured, and a military that seems determined to keep their skeletons in the closet.

The writing is tight and crisp. The characters are flawed, secretive, and loyal. And the plot is an intricate, exceptionally paced mystery full of twists, turns, revelations, deception, corruption, allegiances, power, combat, violence, the ins and outs of military life, and murder.

A Life to Kill is a without a doubt an intelligent, masterfully plotted, absorbing page-turner that had me hooked from the very first page. It’s fascinating, shocking, at times even disturbing, and definitely one of my favourite reads of the year.

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

Thank you to Publishers Group Canada for providing me with a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.

About Matthew Hall

Matthew Hall (formerly M. R. Hall) is an award-winning screenwriter and
former barrister. Educated at Hereford Cathedral School and Worcester
College, he lives a stone's throw from the Welsh border in Herefordshire,
England. He is married to journalist Patricia Carswell and they have two sons, Tom and Will. His other loves are beekeeping, boxing, trail running, and native woodlands.
A Life to Kill is the seventh novel in Matthew Hall's twice CWA Gold Daggernominated Coroner Jenny Cooper series.

Synopsis:

On the island of Cyprus, in the small seaside town of Larnaka, three childhood friends have reunited for the funeral of Katerina, the much-loved old woman who had a profound effect on their lives.

Eleni, Marianna and Adonis grew up together, as close as siblings. Although from humble beginnings – a housemaid from the age of thirteen – Katerina’s love, wisdom and guidance helped shape them all.

Her loss leaves the friends bereft, but the funeral is not just a time to mourn and remember. Adonis’s mother decides that with Katerina’s death comes the time to share the family’s secrets and answer the riddles of their childhood. A story of deception, forbidden love and undying loyalty unravels. What she reveals will change everything . . .

Review:

Sincere, enchanting, and expressive!

Secrets Under the Sun is set on the picturesque island of Cyprus and delves into the lives of several generations of the Linser family and all the secrets, tears, smiles, strength, and compassion they shared over the years.

The writing is heartwarming and vivid. The characters are complex, multi-faceted, and reliable. And the plot, alternating between the past and present, sweeps you away in a tale full of love, life, loss, friendship, heartbreak, deception, generosity, support, forgiveness, and the true meaning of family.

Overall, Secrets Under the Sun is a tender, alluring, beautifully depicted tale that highlights the enduring bonds of women and the power and everlasting effects of unconditional love and friendship.

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

Thank you to PGC Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

About Nadia Marks

Nadia Marks (ne Kitromilides,) was born in Cyprus, but grew up in London. An ex creative director and associate editor on a number of leading British women’s magazines, she is now a novelist and works as a freelance writer for several national and international publications. She has written for the Guardian, the Mail on Sunday, the Daily Express, the Independent, the Royal Photographic Society Journal, Psychologies, In Style magazine and others. For Europe and abroad she has contributed to Italian Vanity Fair, Brazilian Vogue, Greek and Australian Marie Claire, to the biggest Greek Sunday newspaper Vima, and the glossy Greek Cypriot lifestyle magazines Omikron and Must.

Synopsis:

From Thomas Perry comes a new thriller about an unlikely burglar–a young woman in her 20s–who realizes she must solve a string of murders, or else become the next victim

Elle Stowell is a young woman with an unconventional profession: burglary. But Elle is no petty thief–with just the right combination of smarts, looks, and skills, she can easily stroll through ritzy Bel Air neighborhoods and pick out the perfect home for plucking the most valuable items. This is how Elle has always gotten by–she is good at it, and she thrives on the thrill. But after stumbling upon a grisly triple homicide while stealing from the home of a wealthy art dealer, Elle discovers that she is no longer the only one sneaking around. Somebody is searching for her.

As Elle realizes that her knowledge of the high-profile murder has made her a target, she races to solve the case before becoming the next casualty, using her breaking-and-entering skills to uncover the truth about exactly who the victims were and why someone might have wanted them dead. With high-stakes action and shocking revelations, The Burglar will keep readers on the edge of their seats as they barrel towards the heart-racing conclusion.

Review:

Fast, tight, and meticulous!

The Burglaris a sinister, unpredictable thriller that takes us into the life of Elle Stowell, a young thief who finds herself unexpectedly mixed up in a triple homicide when she chooses the wrong house to rob.

The writing is smooth and tense. The characters are inquisitive, meticulous, and tough. And the plot is a suspenseful tale of corruption, deception, betrayal, greed, violence, murder, and the art of burglary.

There is no doubt that Perry has an incredible knowledge into the intricacies of security and surveillance and can weave a sinister tale that’s dark and twisty. And even though I thought the storyline of The Burglar was clever and entertaining, I would have liked to connect with the protagonist just a tiny bit more.

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

Thank you to Publishers Group Canada for providing me with a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.

About Thomas Perry

Thomas Perry is the bestselling author of over twenty novels, including the critically acclaimed Jane Whitefield series, Forty Thieves, and The Butcher's Boy, which won the Edgar Award. He lives in Southern California.

Synopsis:

A new gripping psychological thriller from Michelle Frances, bestselling author of The Girlfriend.

Carrie is a successful TV producer in a high pressure job. She’s talented, liked, and well-respected. She and her husband, Adrian, an award-winning screenwriter, decided years before that they didn’t want children. But now, just as they’re both at the pinnacle of their careers, she has discovered she’s pregnant, and is shocked to discover that she wants to keep the baby. But in a competitive industry where time off is seen as a sign of weakness, Carrie looks at the prospect of maternity leave with trepidation.

Enter Emma, the temp, who is everything Carrie could wish for as her cover: smart, eager, and charming. Carrie fears that Emma is manoeuvring her way into Carrie’s life, causing turmoil in both her work and her marriage. The problem is everyone else adores Emma…

Increasingly isolated from Adrian and her colleagues, Carrie begins to believe Emma has an agenda. Does she want her job? Or is she after even more?

A twisting thriller about ambition, deception, and betrayal, The Temp will leave readers hanging on until the very last page!

Review:

Compulsive, unsettling, and surprising!

The Temp is a character-driven, pacey thriller that takes us into the life of Carrie, a middle-aged TV producer who finds herself struggling to juggle new motherhood, a successful career, a secretive husband, and a temp who seems determined to make her position a permanent one.

The writing is taut and polished. The characters are consumed, unscrupulous, and driven. And the plot is a twisty, suspenseful tale of power, betrayal, ambition, suspicion, obsession, violence, and the complex world of tv production.

Overall, The Temp is another intricate, sinister, edgy novel by Frances that reminds us that anger and resentment fostered over a long period of time can often have devastating consequences.

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

Thank you to Publishers Group Canada for providing me with a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.

About Michelle Frances

Michelle Frances has worked in television drama as a producer and script editor for fifteen years, both for the independent sector and the BBC. The Temp is her second novel, following her bestselling debut, The Girlfriend.

Synopsis:

Tania moves from Bavaria to Montreal to fine-tune her French and fall in love. Finding work as a waitress at a low-key restaurant in a working-class area of the city, she meets Bilodo, a shy postman who writes haiku and who is passionate about calligraphy. The two hit it off but then one stormy day their lives take a dramatic turn, and as their destinies become increasingly entwined the two are led into a world where nothing is as it seems.

The Postman’s Fiancée reunites readers with the touching and much-loved characters first found in The Peculiar Life of a Lonely Postman, charming readers once again with his deft touch and lyrical prose with this love story that will move readers, young and old alike.

Review:

Original, moving, and bittersweet!

The Postman’s Fiancée takes us back to Montréal and into the lives of Bilodo, the lonely postman, and Tania, the besotted waitress, as they both learn just how all-consuming obsession, desire, and love can actually be.

The prose is vivid and expressive. The characters are tormented, eccentric, and spontaneous. And the plot is a poetic, humorous, at times haunting tale about love, loss, friendship, destiny, coincidence, passion, and the cyclical nature of life.

Overall, The Postman’s Fiancée is another beautifully written, tempestuous, zany novel by Thériault that does a wonderful job of reminding us just how precious and fragile life truly is.

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

Thank you to PGC Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis:

Internationally bestselling author Val McDermid is one of our finest crime writers, and her gripping, masterfully plotted novels have garnered millions of readers from around the globe. In Broken Ground, cold case detective Karen Pirie faces her hardest challenge yet.

Six feet under in a Highland peat bog lies Alice Somerville’s inheritance, buried by her grandfather at the end of World War II. But when Alice finally uncovers it, she finds an unwanted surprise–a body with a bullet hole between the eyes. Meanwhile, DCI Pirie is called in to unravel a case where nothing is quite as it seems. And as she gets closer to the truth, it becomes clear that not everyone shares her desire for justice. Or even the idea of what justice is.

Review:

Engrossing, intricate, and deft!

In this latest novel by McDermid, Broken Ground, we head back to Edinburgh where DCI Pirie and her sidekick DC Murray from the Historic Cases Unit find themselves pursuing new evidence in the case of a serial rapist from the 80s; tasked with identifying a body discovered in a peat bog in the Highlands alongside relics from WWII; and inadvertently involved in a new case of premeditated, cold-blooded murder.

The prose is gritty and descriptive. The characterization is superb with all the usual gang back including the intuitive, tenacious, Karen Pirie who’s still coping with the loss of her lover through nocturnal walks and designer gins. And the plot, including all the subplots, unravel and intertwine meticulously into an irresistible tale full of deception, abuse, deprivation, manipulation, mayhem, violence, and murder.

Overall, Broken Ground is a highly entertaining, gripping, atmospheric thriller that highlights McDermid’s exceptional ability to write police procedurals that have well-drawn characters and edgy storylines. It is the fifth novel in the Inspector Karen Pirie series, and definitely one of my favourites.

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

Thank you to PGC Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

About Val McDermid

Val McDermid is a No. 1 bestseller whose novels have been translated into more than thirty languages, and have sold over eleven million copies.

She has won many awards internationally, including the CWA Gold Dagger for best crime novel of the year and the LA Times Book of the Year Award. She was inducted into the ITV3 Crime Thriller Awards Hall of Fame in 2009 and was the recipient of the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger for 2010. In 2011 she received the Lambda Literary Foundation Pioneer Award.

She writes full time and divides her time between Cheshire and Edinburgh.

Synopsis:

It began with a lie . . .

Two children are seen on top of a wall in a school.

Shortly later one of them lies fatally injured at the bottom.

Did the boy fall or was he pushed?As a family liaison offer, DC Maggie Neville has seen parents crumble under the weight of their child’s death. Imogen Tyler is no different. Her son’s fall was witnessed by the school caretaker and another pupil is under suspicion/being questioned, but Imogen is paralysed by questions. Why was he at the school so early? Why was he with a girl who wasn’t a friend?For Maggie, finding the answers to these questions is paramount if she is to help the mother. But as she investigates, further questions emerge and the truth suddenly seems far from certain. Could the witness be mistaken about what happened and if he is, then who is responsible? And how far will they go to cover up the boy’s death?

Review:

Sinister, relentless, and unpredictable!

In this latest novel in the DC Maggie Neville series, False Witness, Davies immerses us in an emotional case involving the death of a young boy that may or may not be an accident, on school grounds that may or may not be used for illegal extracurricular activity after dark, and involving two families who may or may not have a long, complicated history.

The writing is sharp and tight. The characters are secretive, impulsive and troubled. And the intricate plot, told from differing points-of-view, keeps you engrossed from start to finish with all its twists, turns, deception, revelations, corruption, power, violence, and murder.

I have to say this series keeps getting better and better. False Witness is a perfectly paced, entertaining whodunit that has all the elements you look for in a thrilling mystery, along with a touch of authenticity not always found in police procedurals that will undoubtedly keep you riveted and eager for more.

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

Thank you to Publishers Group Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

About Michelle Davies

Michelle Davies has been writing professionally for twenty years as a journalist for magazines, including on the production desk at ELLE, and as Features Editor of Heat. Her last staff position before going freelance was Editor-at-Large at Grazia magazine and she currently writes for a number of women's magazines and newspaper supplements. Michelle is also a crime fiction reviewer for the Books section of the Sunday Express. Michelle lives in London, England and juggles her freelance journalism with motherhood and writing crime fiction.

Synopsis:

Set on the scenic fjords of Norway, The Christmas Lights by bestselling author Karen Swan is a moving Christmas tale of love and heartbreak. December 2018, and free-spirited Influencers Bo Loxley and her partner Zac are living a life of wanderlust, travelling the globe and sharing their adventures with their millions of fans. Booked to spend Christmas in the Norwegian fjords, they set up home in a remote farm owned by enigmatic mountain guide Anders and his fierce grandmother Signy. Surrounded by snowy peaks and frozen falls, everything should be perfect. But the camera can lie and with every new post, the ‘perfect’ life Zac and Bo are portraying is diverging from the truth. Something Bo can’t explain is wrong at the very heart of their lives and Anders is the only person who’ll listen.

June 1936, and fourteen-year old Signy is sent with her sister and village friends to the summer pastures to work as milkmaids, protecting the herd that will sustain the farm through the long, winter months. But miles from home and away from the safety of their families, threat begins to lurk in friendly faces . . .

The mountains keep secrets – Signy knows this better than anyone – and as Bo’s life begins to spiral she is forced, like the old woman before her, to question who is friend and who is foe.

Review:

Alluring, mysterious, and delightfully festive!

The Christmas Lights is an atmospheric, compelling tale set in Norway during 1936, as well as the present day, and is told from two different perspectives. Bo, a young reality star unnerved by an obsessed, online stalker and struggling to enjoy a life that lacks privacy, and Signy a sweet, country girl who learns at a young age the dangers that hide on the hills she loves and amongst the animals that grace them.

The writing is smooth, crisp, and vivid. The characters are a mix of kind, endearing, self-indulgent, and exasperating. And the plot is an entertaining mix of heart, hope, angst, mystery, and drama.

The Christmas Lights is, ultimately, a story about relationships, adventure, heartbreak, secrets, expectations, love, obsession, and discovering one’s true self that highlights just how susceptible and vulnerable social media can make us. It’s a beautiful, picture postcard of the frozen terrain, rugged mountains, and breathtaking Northern Lights of the fjords of Norway, and is a charming holiday read complete with a sliver of mystique.

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

Thank you to Publishers Group Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

About Karen Swan

Karen Swan began her career in fashion journalism before giving it all up to raise her three children and a puppy, and to pursue her ambition of becoming a writer. She lives in the forest outside Sussex, England, writing her books in a treehouse overlooking the Downs.

An internationally bestselling author, her numerous books include The Rome Affair, The Paris Secret, Christmas Under the Stars, and The Christmas Secret.

Synopsis:

Investigative reporter Ross Hunter nearly didn’t answer the phone call that would change his life – and possibly the world – for ever.

“I’d just like to assure you I’m not a nutcase, Mr Hunter. My name is Dr Harry F. Cook. I know this is going to sound strange, but I’ve recently been given absolute proof of God’s existence – and I’ve been advised there is a writer, a respected journalist called Ross Hunter, who could help me to get taken seriously.”

What would it take to prove the existence of God? And what would be the consequences?

The false faith of a billionaire evangelist, the life’s work of a famous atheist, and the credibility of each of the world’s major religions are all under threat. If Ross Hunter can survive long enough to present the evidence…

Review:

Creative, thought-provoking, and mysterious!

In this intriguing new standalone novel by James he introduces us to the resourceful Ross Hunter, an investigative reporter who after being contacted by the guarded, Dr. Harry F. Cook embarks on a dangerous mission to uncover whether there is genuinely any Absolute Proof of god’s existence.

The writing is elaborate and fast-paced. The characters are troubled, tireless, and multifaceted. And the plot is an intricate tale that will have you contemplating the possible final resting place of historical artefacts, the complexity, and significance of DNA testing and our genetic ancestry, and the enormous effects and implications actual proof of God would have on various organizations around the world.

Overall, Absolute Proof is a hefty (almost 600 pages), innovative, action-packed, suspenseful read that without a doubt will leave you questioning whether the confirmation of God’s existence would actually resolve any of the ongoing, long-lasting religious conflicts that have raged around the world for centuries or would just ultimately lead to more greed, chaos, and upheaval.

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

Thank you to PGC Books and Peter James for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

About Peter James

Peter James is the international bestselling author of many award-winning novels. His Detective Superintendent Roy Grace series, set in Brighton, has been translated into thirty-seven languages with worldwide sales of over eighteen million copies, and has given him eleven consecutive Sunday Times number ones. In 2015 WHSmith customers publicly voted him the Greatest Crime Author of All Time and in 2016 he became the recipient of the coveted CWA Diamond Dagger lifetime achievement award for sustained excellence. Peter has also written a short story collection, A Twist of the Knife, and his standalone titles include Perfect People and The House on Cold Hill. He has also co-written a non-fiction account of Brighton’s toughest cases with former detective Graham Bartlett entitled Death Comes Knocking. The Perfect Murder, Dead Simple and Not Dead Enough have all been turned into smash-hit stage plays. All his novels reflect his deep interest in the world of the police. Three of his novels have been filmed and before becoming a full-time author he produced numerous films, including The Merchant of Venice, starring Al Pacino and Jeremy Irons. He divides his time between his homes in Notting Hill, London and near Brighton in Sussex.

Synopsis:

Jane Campbell avoids confrontation at any costs. Given the choice, she’ll always let her husband, Leon–a bestselling crime writer–take the lead, while she focuses on her two precious young children and her job as a creative writing teacher. After she receives another rejection for her novel, Leon urges Jane to put her hobby to rest. And why shouldn’t she, when through Jane’s rose-tinted glasses, they appear to have the perfect house and the perfect life?

But then Leon is brutally attacked in their driveway while their children wait quietly in the car, and suddenly, their perfect life becomes the stuff of nightmares. Who would commit such a hateful offense in broad daylight? With her husband in a coma, Jane must open her eyes to the problems in her life, as well as the secrets that have been kept from her. Although she might not like what she sees, if she’s committed to discovering who hurt her husband–and why–Jane must take matters into her own hands.

A surprising and gripping thriller of pride, ambition, and envy, Open Your Eyes is an unsettling whodunit about the illusions of a perfect marriage that confirms Paula Daly as a writer at the forefront of domestic suspense.

Review:

Addictive, edgy, and entertaining!

Open Your Eyes is a character-driven, domestic thrill ride that delves into all the deep, dark secrets people can keep even from those closest to them and raises the question how well do you really know anyone.

The prose is tight and gritty. The characters are troubled, resolute, and vulnerable. And the plot starts off with a bang and quickly unravels into an ominous tale full of suspicious personalities, lies, deception, desperation, familial drama, manipulation, violence, and jealousy.

Overall, Open Your Eyes is a relentless, eerie, complex tale that keeps you guessing right up until the very last page and reminds us that mothers will go to any length to uncover the truth and protect their children.

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

Thank you to Publishers Group Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

About Paula Daly

Paula Daly is the acclaimed author of five novels. Her work has been sold in fifteen countries, shortlisted for CWA Gold Dagger Crime Novel of the Year award, and her books are currently being developed into the ITV drama - Deep Water - set to air in 2019. She was born in Lancashire and lives in the Lake District with her husband, three children, and whippet Skippy.

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